BJP Hopes to Gain by Throwing in Surprise for UP’s Karhal Seat, Says Candidate Baghel

Union minister and BJP sitting MP from Agra SP Singh Baghel, who has been fielded against Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav from Karhal assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh, says he feels the surprise factor of announcing his candidature will go in his favour in the big contest.

“There is a big role of surprise in war,” said SPS Baghel soon after his name was announced by the BJP as the candidate for Karhal seat. The minister said the party has surprised him as well by asking him to contest against Akhilesh Yadav. This is the second time Baghel would be contesting against Yadav, first being the 2009 elections from Ferozabad Lok Sabha constituency on a Bahujan Samaj Party ticket.

Baghel, a former security officer with former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, said the SP patriarch will definitely offer his blessings on to him.

Baghel told News18 that the man who brought him into politics must be send his blessings. “He must be giving me the blessings while thinking about his son who removed him from his post of chief of the party. Mulayam Yadav signatures had power to give the ticket and that was snatched from him.”

The decision to field Baghel is also being seen as a message by the BJP to its opponents that it will not give a walkover to any senior leaders. He said days of dynastic politics are limited and only voters can decide on the outcome of polls.

“In a democracy, no one should consider the Lok Sabha constituency or assembly constituency as their property or fortress. Those who were born from the womb of queens can think of their fortresses but not those who contest,” said the BJP leader.

On how tough the contest would be on a seat that is considered a Yadav bastion, Baghel said, “Once upon a time, they were so popular that there was no nomination against them and then they kept losing elections. So, there is nothing called ‘Garh of Yadavs’. They are committing mistake if they think that. They sign their form B themselves, giving seats to contest and yet they get defeated.”

Responding to whether the Karhal contest is equally big as that of Amethi, Baghel says no one should take their seat for granted by citing examples of Gandhis. Baghel said he had contested elections from any seat, which the party had asked him to, and asked, “Is it not enough that the world’s largest political party has eyes on me?”

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